Asus to launch R50 mobile Internet device before June

As the Intel Developer Forum rolls on in Shanghai, Asus has announced its launch plans for its upcoming R50 mobile Internet device. According to DigiTimes, the hardware maker has revealed that it plans to introduce the device before June this year. The R50 will be priced "above $500," and an updated version outfitted with a keyboard will follow in November.

DigiTimes doesn't say much about the R50, but previous reports about the device suggest it has a 5.6" 1024 x 600 display, a 1.3GHz Intel Atom processor, up to 32GB of solid-state storage, and built-in 3G and GPS connectivity. DigiTimes says the device will run both Windows Vista and Linux, although it doesn't say which Asus will pre-load as the default (or whether both Windows- and Linux-powered alternatives will be available).

You can check out the R50 in action here on YouTube. Judging by the prototype in the video, the R50 will be quite large, and its hardware config may not be quite robust enough to deliver a snappy experience in Windows Vista—opening up the Vista control panel seems to take about eight seconds, for instance. Perhaps the final, retail product will be quicker, though.